Bike Fit Question - Leg Length Discrepancy

[KnottedYet]

Oooh, thanks for the links for the heel lifts! I've got a patient who could use those websites.

[Triskeliongirl]

Oooh, thanks for the links for the heel lifts! I've got a patient who could use those websites.

The first system is cool cuz it consists of a stacked system in 1 mm layers, if you aren't sure how much of a lift is needed, or want to work your way up, and they are quite long making for a very gradual transition that is very comfortable. But, I found they don't last as long, since the layers start to come apart over time. But, they do look good in sandals, etc. since they are not very visible. The company in the second link is where I buy both. They are very fast and good (think TE, priority mail package arrives within days of placing an order). Both are firm which is also very important, but comfortable. If shoes allow it, sometimes I also replace insole with a superfeet insole, and place lift under insole on short leg side, but not all shoes have room for both the superfeet and lift.

[Mr. SR500]

The first system is cool cuz it consists of a stacked system in 1 mm layers, if you aren't sure how much of a lift is needed, or want to work your way up, and they are quite long making for a very gradual transition that is very comfortable. But, I found they don't last as long, since the layers start to come apart over time. But, they do look good in sandals, etc. since they are not very visible. The company in the second link is where I buy both. They are very fast and good (think TE, priority mail package arrives within days of placing an order). Both are firm which is also very important, but comfortable. If shoes allow it, sometimes I also replace insole with a superfeet insole, and place lift under insole on short leg side, but not all shoes have room for both the superfeet and lift.

Any pics of your setup, sounds very interesting.

[Triskeliongirl]

Any pics of your setup, sounds very interesting.

I did take some pictures once, for my son to show his engineering buddies at MIT, but I can't find them now. I'll try to take some again when I have time. If you click on the link I posted you can see the dropped pedal. Whats harder to see in that pic, is the idea that the dropped part can rotate throughout the pedal stroke. Then my chain rings are offset and elliptical, but the ellipses are not like the old biopace rings, but in the direction of the modern ones favored by the CSC time trialists. The idea is they put you in effectively an easier gear at the top of the pedal stroke to get you through it faster with less stress on your knees.

[Triskeliongirl]

Ok, I just managed to blow up two pictures. They are taken from two diff. bikes but the crankset is identical. On the view marked right side, you see my normal length 165mm crank arm (fit to my short leg) and on the left side you see a 165mm crank arm to which Tom's dropped pedal is built in (fit to my long leg). Again, its hard to see how the dropped pedal can rotate throughout the pedal stroke, but imagine that it is attached by a flexible joint the permits rotation. He can build it with any pedal system, I happened to choose frogs. Likewise, he can use whatever chain rings you want, I specified a 50/34 set-up.

[KnottedYet]

Very elegant solution!

[Triskeliongirl]

If its not obvious, when I cycle, I do not put lifts in my shoes since the correction is built into the crank set. I only use the lifts for the regular shoes. They are pictured in the original links provided.